Hong Kong's autonomy under 'one country, two systems' principle: Challenging the concept of obligation in international law

Abstract

The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was passed in June 2020 provoking the global outcry. The aim of this paper is to assess the compliance of the said law with the sources of international law, which are most relevant for the assessment of the problematic points of new legislation. In providing the analysis, the paper will not be focused only on the sources of international law, which are currently applicable. Instead, the previous relevant legal framework will also be taken into consideration where appropriate.

Keywords

• new chinese national security law
• hong kong
• joint declaration
• international law
• human rights
• international covenant on civil and political rights